


Bedtime Stories

by nyargles



Series: The Sound of Merlin [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-18
Updated: 2013-02-18
Packaged: 2017-11-29 17:14:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/689460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyargles/pseuds/nyargles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You don't have to read the original fic to understand, but you should probably be familiar with The Sound of Music. Featuring Maria!Merlin, Captain!Arthur and Baby!Leon. Leon can't sleep, and Merlin suggests a bedtime story. Short ficlet of fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bedtime Stories

The door opening interrupted Merlin and Arthur's evening as they were quietly planning their honeymoon. "Can't sleep," Leon said, trotting into one of the mansion's smaller parlours and disrupting the two adults there. He squished his face, a bit blotchy and wide-eyed, into Merlin's ribs, wrapping his arms as far as he could reach around Merlin's waist. "Nightmare." Merlin ruffled his unruly hair and slid out of his seat so that he could crouch down, looking the little man in the eyes. 

Captain Pendragon – Arthur, Merlin reminded himself – looked a little guilty that his son went first to Merlin for comfort. He let Merlin slide off the sofa, sitting there awkwardly and watching as Merlin hugged Leon, and Leon climbed all over him even though he was five and that was almost too old to be doing that.

"Come on," Merlin nearly put his back out as he hefted Leon up. Leon clung to him, already looking a lot less unhappy than before. Arthur felt both relieved that Merlin had such a great touch with the boys and uncomfortable that he had no idea how to deal with it himself. Merlin started back towards the bedrooms with Leon sleepily yawning over his shoulder and Arthur swung his foot awkwardly, trying not to feel abandoned.

Merlin paused, looking around as he reached the door. He frowned, making a face that wondered why Arthur wasn't coming along, and held out a hand, flapping at Arthur. Arthur tumbled off the sofa, almost too keen, even if it was undignified for him to be summoned by a hand flap, and entwined his fingers with Merlin's happily as Merlin led them both towards the boys' bedrooms.

Even though Merlin was so much younger than him, all this affection and openness seemed to come to him so much easier than to Arthur. Arthur watched Merlin tuck Leon back into bed, murmuring reassurances and cuddling him, and settled gingerly onto a chair next to the bed. This whole scenario seemed like a foreign world to Arthur, one where he was still struggling to learn the customs.

Leon reached out for him, and Arthur leaned over the bed, self-consciously feeling the pull of his fitted suit as if to remind him that he shouldn't be doing such frivolous things as hugging, because he would _crease_. Leon smiled sleepily at him, and Arthur resolved to order some clothes that weren't suits. "Why don't we read you a bedtime story, and then you can go to sleep, okay?" Merlin smiled, one hand clasped in Leon's and the other arm encouragingly around Arthur's waist.

Leon's little face scrunched up in confusion. "What's a bedtime story?" Merlin froze for a moment, aghast and entirely unsure as to how to respond before shooting Arthur an accusing look. Arthur felt his face heat up with shame. Merlin was the one who bridged the silence, and replied quickly, "We pick a story and I'll tell it to you to help you sleep, how about that?" Leon nodded enthusiastically. Merlin looked over at his bookshelf only to see prim rows of adaptations of classical literature. He gave Arthur another accusatory look.

"How aboooout the story of The Three Little Pigs?" Merlin settled onto Arthur's lap, squirming until he was comfortable and starting on his tale. Arthur sat there, stiffly watching Leon slowly get more drowsy as Merlin talked about the big bad wolf. Merlin's voice was low and soothing, lilting melodically as he narrated the simple tale. Eventually, Arthur found himself relaxing a bit, getting used to the familiarity that Merlin implied by sitting on his lap, and tentatively placed his hands on Merlin's hips. Merlin rewarded him by leaning back and tugging Arthur's arms all the way around him, not once halting in his storytelling.

Arthur pressed his face gratefully into the side of Merlin's neck, keeping an eye on his son as Leon curled up, drifting into sleep with little murmurs about straw houses and huffing and puffing. His breath evened out, his face nestled on one hand, and Arthur could not help but smile tenderly at him. Merlin tailed off the story slowly, making sure that he really was asleep. He simply sat there in silence, watching Leon sleep. Merlin reached forwards, brushing a lock of hair off his cheek before leaning back into Arthur's chest.

Arthur could practically feel Merlin's reproach towards him, but he didn't say anything at all, merely resting his head on Arthur's shoulder as if too tired. "Merlin?" Arthur ventured quietly. "Are you upset at me?" 

"Oh, Arthur." Merlin sounded pitying, not angry as Arthur had expected. He twisted to see the look on Merlin's face. "I can't believe he doesn't know what a bedtime story was." He clutched Arthur's shirt, crumpling the crisp material, closing his eyes. Arthur felt wretched, his face oddly blank simply because he didn't know how to express his emotions. He wrapped his arms around Merlin as Merlin folded into his embrace, and Arthur breathed his scent in. Merlin was like the sunlight, radiating warmth and life and Arthur could only attempt to soak in all he had to offer.

"He'll get a bedtime story every night," Arthur promised, threading his fingers through Merlin's hair. Merlin smiled against his cheek, giving him a small kiss. Arthur felt safer with Merlin by his side, encouraging enough to forgive him when he had messed up so badly and didn't know how to fix it. 

Merlin smoothed the covers over Leon one last time before they padded out softly to retreat to the parlour. "You get to tell the next one."


End file.
